When Lynn first saw this ruined barn in the Belgian countryside, it wasn’t the structure itself that captured her—it was the setting. “You can see right out to the horizon, and sometimes I even spot hares,” she says. “There’s something so calming about the natural surroundings here.” She had been searching for a property for months, when her cousin suggested that she check out a disused agricultural structure. The early 20th-century barn’s traditional brick facade was intact, but the empty interior was in very poor condition. Smitten by the breathtaking view, she purchased the property in 2018 and embarked on a renovation with oyoarchitects. Lynn’s checklist was simple: three bedrooms—one for herself, one for her daughter, and another for guests. Natural light, open space, and a connection to nature were nice-to-haves. OYO fulfilled much of that wish list with a singular broad stroke—by carving a triangular slice out of the structure’s pitched roof. This gesture left the barn’s street-...